There was a post on here a while ago about $50 USPS charge for mailing a bow. I just sent a longbow from OR to MN in a piece of plastic downspout (73 in. long) Priority Mail with $500 ins for $28.70. The buyer said the downspout worked well.

Good pick for shipping material. I have bought, sold and traded stick bows all over the USA using priority mail. I have never had a problem. I have always insisted on a bomb proof package and in return I always made one myself. PVC crush pipe works well with a pair of test caps and doesn't weigh much. Most longbows or recurves run between $22.00 and $30.00 to ship depending on your total weight of package. Three days its always there. I did ship one recurve UPS and that cost me quite a bit and took almost a week to get to the destination.

NormF, that is about what I have found from here in Pa., to out in that area as well. Most I ever paid to the west coast was still under $40.00.

Personally I believe it is how the agent interprets the PO rules for determining price for shipping. I have had two different PO employees quote two different fees for shipping the same package at the same PO loacation! You had better believe I called the 800 number and complained. Shipping items like bows is still a crap shoot in my mind. Seems like for every thread praising USPO, UPS, or Fed Ex there’s another one bemoaning a lost or damaged bow.

I once got charged more/extra because it went to a remote location. I told them I thought that sucked and they told me, If I wanted to ship with them, that was the deal.

The most I have paid is on an older hoyt pro Hunter . Sent it from Tn to Canada and it still only cost me $45. Most of the time 15-25 dollar

Correct on measuring interpretation. I drive 8 mikes to the next town and get wildly different rate. It’s all in how they measure it.

If you send out much, then you should use the USPS online. $50.00 for that package from Indiana to Maryland should have been closer to $20.00. You folks need to take time to use the online click and ship. I just checked on a package at 6#, 48 x 8 x 4. From Indianapolis to Baltimore is $12.50 USPS Priority Mail 2 day delivery, not counting insurance. You automatically are covered by $50.00 insurance. It would be another $3.00 or so for $200.00 insurance.

That's fine as it's what you paid. I'm just telling you that you paid too much. When you let someone else do it you are in for what they decide. Ballooning should never apply to sending just a riser, or even any bow. Rather than think I'm lying to you, go to usps.com/ and then under click and ship you can figure a rate from one zip code to another.

To be charged "balloon" prices, the following is necessary:

"Ballooning should only occur on packages that qualify per...""Priority Mail pieces weighing less than 20 pounds and measuring more than 84 inches, but 108 inches or less, in combined length and girth are charged the price for a piece weighing 20 pounds. This is commonly referred to as a "balloon price.""

Crazy fees like that are why I do it myself online, which automatically gives you a ten percent discount anyway.

I sent out a 68" longbow from SC to Arizona today. Two day delivery with insurance-$22.50

I read it Craig, but he didn't say how big of a box he used. Takes a big box to bring balloon charges. I was allowing for a 60" box (56" legnth for a 60" bow..12" wide and 4" deep). Seems that would hold a riser and a bow, but I didn't do the packing.

Most of the heavy charges come from clerks that do not understand the system. I use the same gal all the time and never have an issue, If she is not there I ask when she is on duty and come back. Also if you go online and open an account with USPS and print your own shipping labels using your own info, it will save you about 10.00 on going to the post office. I print my own using my measurements and take to Post Office. I just hand it to the clerk and walk out, No hassle, no waiting, just drop it off.

Not girth - just 60 + 12 + 4 = 76"

Blackstick - Buying postage and shipping from home with the $1600 insurance, I get $42.87

I just shipped two bows on the same day (March 12) from Ottawa, Canada. One was going to San Diego and the other to Alaska.

The bow to San Diego went to Montreal from Ottawa and then into the US via New York ISC on March 14th. It was delivered to the door on in San Diego on March 16th. Just four days. Price was $31 Canadian. 62" long Shakespeare recurve.

Bow to Alaska went from Ottawa on March 12 to Vancouver (March 16) then down to San Francisco ISC (March 17) to go through customs clearance (thought they would have a facility in Seattle but they don't.)

It cleared US customs today on March 19 and is slated for delivery Thursday. It is a phenolic Wing Thunderbird (heavy bow)...postage is $32 Canadian.

Not sure how people are packing their bows to incur such large postage charges as I am shipping from out of the country!

You need to keep the box compact and pre-measure it to make sure it is done accurately.

That shipping time to California is excellent but not unusual.

I have never had a bow delayed and think both USPS and Canada Post do a very good job.

The San Diego area tracking is below. Read bottom to top.

I don't know why there is an aversion for people to ship bows to Alaska (it is part of the US after all??!!) or Canada. It is simple.

March 16, 2018, 1:16 pm Delivered, Front Desk/Reception SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA 95045 Your item was delivered to the front desk or reception area at 1:16 pm on March 16, 2018 in SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA 95045.

March 16, 2018, 8:22 am Out for Delivery SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA 95045

March 16, 2018, 8:12 am Sorting Complete SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA 95045

March 16, 2018, 7:50 am Arrived at Unit SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA 95045

March 16, 2018, 2:59 am Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility SAN JOSE CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

March 15, 2018 In Transit to Next Facility

March 14, 2018, 8:36 pm Arrived at USPS Regional Facility METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER

March 14, 2018, 1:47 am Processed Through Facility ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)

March 13, 2018, 2:18 pm Processed Through Facility MONTREAL, CANADA

Origin Post is Preparing Shipment

March 13, 2018, 1:40 am Processed Through Facility MONTREAL, CANADA

March 12, 2018, 3:32 pm Acceptance CANADA

Different rates by clerks does happen because some are part time help or new and some when using tubes do not know how to tell circumference versus height. You have to punch in not normal package to get the Diameter or circumference. I have seen it happen more than a few times. I have also shipped 100's of bows. Being said I stil like to use the online service and enter the info myself, then all I have to do is drop it off at the Post Office.

Unless it's changed the parcel size has a limit of 104" total,length and diameter combined.

SteveBNY, Pretty sure it's 60+12+4+12+4= 92". They measure around, so top, bottom, and both sides.

I use Click and Ship at home. Then when I drop it off I also get a receipt for the package. You don't have to drop it off. The local mailman/woman can take it but no receipt.

takedown recurve IL. to OK. ins for 500.00 coast 17.95 last week

Is there a monthly fee for having a click and ship account or did I just simply look at the wrong site.

Dale in Pa - Not with the program I use.

Steve, I've only ever taken them to the PO, and they always measure the circumference. Do you use a program online?

Either PP, USPS or I use Shippo primarily. They all take H+L+W.

How would you calculate a round tube?

Never tried one. Will plug 1 in later

This thread made me laugh. Tried to ship a 62" bow the other day in a long cardboard box. USPS wanted to charge me close to $80 (w/insurance). As the postal worker is attempting to measure the box, she keeps repeating out loud "I don't know if I'm doing this right...I hope I'm doing this right. I think this is oversized, but I don't know." I took my business elsewhere. So yes, different offices, different postal workers will yield different prices.

I rest my case on different Postal workers different prices. Thanks cbretriever.

I just shipped a Bear Grizzly to Michigan from Ohio. I was charged $31.00. They claimed there was a balloon charge and it had to go Priority. I agree that you should have the price figured out before taking it to the post office. The days of cheap shipping are over.

Guys - go to the USPS website - usps.com. On the "mail and ship" tab is a drop down choice of "calculate price". Choose your options, enter info and you will see the costs. Either buy the label there or print a copy and take it with you to the PO.

Dale - for cylinder/tube boxes, it shows a diagram for length + height(diameter) + width (dia again) circumference. This total plus weight is what the cost is based on. A 4 lb - 6" x 66" tube would cost 29.70 with basic insurance.

Rectangular 66x6x6 is $45. Change that to 66x4x6 and it drops to $17. You may be right on girth - I thought because the programs only ask for the length x hght x width that's all they use.

90< combined total inches is the goal. Cost nearly doubles going from 88 to 90+. Good to keep in mind - pick the packaging that will work before setting the sale/shipping price.

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